Sincerity and Obedience: Jeremiah 41:11-42:7

Jeremiah 41:11-42:7

In these chapters we find ourselves in the middle of a story full of intrigue, conspiracy, devilry and heroism.  The conspirator, Ishmael, killed Gedaliah, the godly governor, and now Johanan, a military captain, has heard of the deed and pursues Ishmael.  Johanan catches up with the conspirator and runs him off while freeing all the people he had taken captive.  It seems that hope might be restored to the remnant still left in Judah, but, in what feels like a passing comment, we read that Johanan “intend[ed] to go to Egypt” (vs. 17).

In Egypt he sees everything he and the remnant need, especially after their government has been so brutally overturned.  Johanan is rightfully worried that Nebuchadnezzar will hear about the uprising and return in anger.  Egypt is the nearest major nation that has not fallen to the Babylonians and so, Johanan believes, it can provide the protection they need, the economy they need, and the order and stability the remnant needs to restart their lives (see God’s description of Johanan’s reasoning in 42:14).  But before they go, there is one person they need to consult.

Johanan and the rest of the leaders approach Jeremiah to get God’s input on the matter.  Their exchange with Jeremiah is telling in how they address God and how Jeremiah responds:

Let our plea for mercy come before you, and pray to the LORD your God for us....Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I will pray to the LORD your God” (vs. 2, 4)

Notice that the Judeans call God “your God,” and in reply, Jeremiah reminds them that he is also “your God.”  This brief exchange is significant.  Johanan betrays a lack of relationship with God that would put God at the center of his thoughts and decisions.  Jeremiah reminds him that God is no abstract entity that belongs to the super-spiritual, but is the God who is intimately involved with Johanan’s life as well.  God’s activity should not be relegated to the lives of a few saints, but should be seen in the context of my daily life.

We learn later that though God warns them not to flee to Egypt, that is exactly what Johanan and the people do.  So if their intent is to go to Egypt, why stop along the way to talk to Jeremiah and ask God what they should do?  Is this religious flummery to them?  Are they just going through the motions of talking to God’s prophet because that is what good Judeans do?  Are they simply deceiving Jeremiah?  Are they just insincere?  I believe the situation is a little more complex that that.

I believe Johanan sincerely wants to hear God’s opinion on the matter; the catch is that he is already sure what that opinion will be.  He approaches Jeremiah, I believe, with all sincerity of heart and all religious fervor, but has already settled the matter in his own heart and mind.  Egypt is all that makes sense to him, and clearly, that will be God’s view as well.

It strikes me that I often approach God in this fashion.  There is nothing wrong with my sincerity of heart and mind, but where things have gone wrong is at the crucial point of who is making the decision.  Even in his dire situation, God is still Johanan’s God, and needs to be the primary factor in his decision making.  It may be that God’s will aligns with what Johanan thinks makes sense, but to follow God faithfully requires that Johanan is ready to align his will with God’s.

Simple sincerity in my religiosity will not guarantee that I am living a faithful life—obedience does that.  Jesus speaks to this very thing when he says:

“On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matt. 7:22-24)  

Living as a Remnant: Jeremiah 40

Jeremiah 40

The following few chapters tell an intriguing story of destruction, prosperity, trust and betrayal.  After the fall of Jerusalem and the exile of the majority of the people, a remnant is left and Nebuchadnezzar puts Gedaliah in charge of what remains in Judah.  For the most part, those who are left are the poorest of the poor and a few bands of guerilla soldiers who escaped the hand of Babylon.  When they gather together, Gedaliah addresses the motley crowd and tells them to farm, ranch, and rebuild their culture.  He will govern and deal with the Babylonians—all they need to do is reestablish their lives.

The result is another glimpse into what I think is one of the core lessons in the book of Jeremiah.  As they are faithful to Gedeliah’s directive, God shows them his grace and goodness.  I love the fact that through the destruction of a rebellious and obstinate culture, God makes the poorest of the poor the wealthy land owners.

“[T]hen all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they had been driven and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.” (vs. 12)

But all is not well within the remnant.  One of the military commanders, Johanan warns Gedaliah that another commander, Ishmael, struck a deal with a neighboring king to assassinate him.  For whatever reason, Gedaliah does not believe Johanan, has Ishmael over for dinner, and at the table Ishmael rises up and kills Gedaliah.  Ishmael, in what turns out to be raging evil, proceeds to slaughter seventy pilgrims on their way to mourn the destruction of the Temple, and then takes the remnant into captivity and prepares to take them into exile into Amon.  Ishmael takes his own people captive!  Ishmael was not satisfied with the state of things under Gedaliah, and forced control from his hands through treachery and conspiracy.

Ishmael’s evil is the end of the prosperity under Gedaliah, and as we discover in further chapters, this group of Judeans never returns to the Promised Land to live there.

The remnant was small and at the mercy of the Babylonians.  They could either choose to be faithful to God in their land or rebel and try and take control of their situation again.  Gedaliah represents one response, Ishmael the other.  When you are a remnant, you learn an important lesson: God is in control.  When we try to take control, the results are disastrous.

God’s people are rarely the powerful majority.  More often than not, God’s people are one among many voices heard in any given culture, and they are rarely the single, dominant voice.  In fact, God chose the nation of Israel exactly because they were small, and Paul picks up this theme in Romans 11:1-5 when he describes God’s use of the church.

Because the church of Jesus Christ is a remnant, we need to learn that God is in control.  Our aim should be to be faithful to God in everything, not to take control.  Don’t mistake me--I believe a faithful lifestyle will extend to absolutely every aspect of a believer’s life and hence will salt and season every aspect of our culture.  But our goal is faithfulness, not control.  The example of Gedaliah is the right lifestyle for Christians living as a remnant, and it requires a great deal of self-discipline and trust to avoid Ishmael’s error and to let God control the things we can’t but wish we could.

Trusting In God: Jeremiah 39:11-18

Jeremiah 39:11-18

The events in Jeremiah 39 are bleak to say the least. Jerusalem, and hence the nation of Judah, finally falls to Babylon, Zedekiah meets his fate, and the people are taken into exile. But the story is not all about endings. The second half of the chapter tells the stories of two people God spared and the care he showed them in the midst of a nightmare.

The first comes as no surprise; God spares Jeremiah in dramatic fashion. It is not the case that Jeremiah happens to slip through the nets of the Babylonians to live out his days in his homeland. The command to protect Jeremiah and allow him to stay in Judah comes directly from the top of the Babylonian empire.

“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave command concerning Jeremiah…’Take him, look after him well, and do him no harm.’” (vs. 11, 12)

How is it Jeremiah receives this attention? It is entirely possible that Nebuchadnezzar has heard of Jeremiah through the Judeans who have already fled the city and surrendered to them (39:9). It is also possible that Nebuchadnezzar has already been influenced by another one of God’s people who has been in his court for a couple of years now. Daniel has already caught Nebuchadnezzar’s attention and respect, and it is possible that by now he has an admiration for God’s true prophets. Daniel’s exile not only serves God’s purposes for Daniel and his immediate surroundings, it quite possibly saves the life of Jeremiah a couple of years later in a land hundreds of miles away.

The second character saved is Ebed-Melech. We first read of him in chapter 38 when he saves Jeremiah’s life. It is a great story of courage and faithfulness as this Ethiopian slave confronts the Judean king to receive permission to pull Jeremiah out of the cistern where he was left to die. Then here, in chapter 39, God reassures him that even though he sees the nation crumbling around him his life would be saved. In fact, God repeats that assurance in five consecutive, nearly synonymous, phrases (vs. 17-18).

The keystone to this chapter is why God saved Ebed-Melech. He is a great character because of what he does to honor God and save Jeremiah. But when God tells him why he is being saved, he says, “I will surely save you…because you have put your trust in me.” (vs. 18) God does not save Ebed for what he did, but for whom he trusted.

Ebed put his trust in God. In a time of great distress he did not trust king Zedekiah, the armies of Judah or his own craftiness to save his life. My trust in God should not be left on a fuzzy, uncommitted level, but should be as specific and tangible as Ebed’s was. Do I trust God financially? Do I consider my work and my savings to be what will take care of me as time goes on, or is God my only source? Do I trust God emotionally? Do I lay unreasonable burdens on other people in my life to be my constant harbor in a storm, or is God my final source of emotional strength? Do I trust God spiritually? Do I put the unreasonable burden on a few people to be the perfect example of Christ in this world, or are my eyes on Christ alone? When I fail to trust God in these kinds of tangible ways, bad things happen and I can find myself growing bitter against God and his church when it was me who was untrusting all along.

It is always safe to trust in God—even when the world is crumbling around you, God is great enough and good enough to keep you secure in the midst of all things.

The Patience and the Judgment of God: Jeremiah 39:1-10

Jeremiah 39:1-10

In this chapter we watch the end of Jerusalem and the nation of Judah unfold before our eyes. Jeremiah warned king Zedekiah several times that the Babylonians were going to seize control of Jerusalem unless he repented and turned back to God, but we note here that not only did Zedekiah not believe his repentance would accomplish anything, he did believe he could escape from the hands of his enemies.

The fate of the city and the fate of the king are almost overwhelming. After a year and a half of siege, the Babylonians break through the walls and the foreign princes set up their court in the gate of the city, thus demonstrating that they were now in charge. We should, at this point, remind ourselves of what siege warfare was like for the people in the streets of Jerusalem. In Lamentations, Jeremiah records this moment in history, and in chapter 4 the images are stark:

"The tongue of the nursing infant sticks to the roof of its mouth for thirst; the children beg for food, but no one gives to them. Those who once feasted on delicacies perish in the streets; those who were brought up in purple embrace ash heaps….Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field. The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became their food during the destruction of the daughter of my people." (vs. 4-5, 9-10)

This is what Zedekiah watched happen to his people for over a year, and yet he fled at night through a hole in the wall. Zedekiah’s failing is not so much that he is an evil and brutal king, but that he is a fool. He lacks the strength of character to confront the moment, he does not have enough virtue to do the right thing when necessary, and his sycophant advisors easily sway him. God told Zedekiah exactly what was coming, exactly what to do to avoid it, and exactly what the consequences would be.

We also need to note that Zedekiah had more than just his fate in his hands. In the conversation recorded in Jeremiah 38:17-23, Jeremiah tells him in no uncertain terms that his obedience will mean peace and safety for thousands and his rebellion will mean their death. With the fate of thousands of people hinging on his reaction to God’s call of grace (and after watching them die slowly and horribly for 18 months), Zedekiah finally and ultimately turns against God and tries to escape. As a result, the city is burned, the nation is taken into exile, Zedekiah’s family and advisors are slaughtered before his very eyes, and he is blinded. The last thing Zedekiah beheld—indeed, the only thing he saw for the rest of his life—was the execution of his sons.

Judgment fell, not because God was capricious or evil, but because Zedekiah refused to listen to the gracious and loving calls of his God. The book of Jeremiah is not about a judgmental God; it is about a loving God reaching out to rebellious and obstinate people. And in this story, we learn that our refusal to be reconciled to God in our behavior as well as our beliefs has dire consequences far beyond ourselves. You may not be in a position to influence thousands, or even hundreds, but do not deceive yourself into thinking that you can live to yourself. “As long as it doesn’t hurt anyone I can do what I please,” is a powerful, but completely false, moral and spiritual placebo.

Today, take advantage of the patience and grace of our God. God’s patience and kindness toward you is “meant to lead you to repentance,” and a life of abundance in His Son.

Who Hears a Whisper? 1 Kings 19

1 Kings 19:1-18

In order to understand the power of 1 Kings 19, we need to remind ourselves briefly of chapter 18. In it, we get what might be the pinnacle of Elijah’s prophetic career. He openly challenges the prophets of Baal before the eyes of the nation of Israel to a “battle of the gods” and they are defeated in an astounding and shocking fashion—God rains fire down from heaven before them all.

Then, within only a few hours, Queen Jezebel threatened Elijah’s life and, as the text notes, “Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life.” (vs. 3) In the resulting flight, Elijah disappears into the wilderness and asks God to let him die. God’s reaction to his prophet’s severe anxiety and depression is a window into God’s marvelous care for his children. Not only does God not let Elijah die, he takes care of him, body and soul, and by the end of chapter 19 Elijah is back in action.

The first thing God does is feed Elijah and let him sleep.

“And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, ‘Arise and eat.’…And he ate and drank and lay down again.” (vs. 5, 6)

Taking care of ourselves physically when we are in a season of depression is necessary to our recovery. We are not just minds and souls, but an elaborate combination of soul and body.

Then God begins to work on Elijah spiritually as well. God sends him on a journey to Mount Horeb, otherwise known as Sinai. This is the place where God first established the covenant with Moses, and it is here where Elijah despairs of it all and declares that all Israel has forsaken the covenant and he is the only remaining prophet. Then God does something interesting. He tells Elijah to look for him on the mountain.

Then, famously, a great wind, an earthquake, and fire come and go, but the Lord was not in any of them. Absolutely crucial to what God is doing to Elijah is the fact that he has been in those manifestations before. When God talked with Job and his friends, he appeared in a whirlwind. When God cleansed the Israelite camp of wickedness, he cracked the ground open and swallowed evil. And just a few days earlier, God spoke to the nation of Israel through fire before Elijah’s very eyes. But this time, the Lord was not in any of them. Instead, he shows up in “a low whisper.” (vs. 12)

Who hears a whisper? Only one—the one for whom it is intended.

This is a story about God speaking to Elijah. When God wants to get the attention of dozens, thousands, or an entire nation, the wind blows, the earth shakes, and fire rains down from heaven. But right now, God’s prophet sits alone in a cave, broken and hopeless. In my mind’s eye I picture Elijah sitting in the cave, his shoulders hunched and his head hung. The wind comes and the cave walls shake, but he doesn’t move. The earth buckles around him but he remains still. Fire consumes the mouth of the cave, and he does not stir. Then silence, and God walks into the cave, sits down beside his prophet, leans over and whispers, “Elijah!” Then Elijah stands up and wraps his face in his cloak because he knows God is talking to him.

Elijah knows God speaks to the multitudes; now he knows God speaks to him. Now he knows God cares for him.

Embracing the Hiddenness of God: Luke 24

Luke 24:13-35

Have you gone through a season in your faith when God just seemed to be absent? Despite all your need and maybe even your effort to communicate with him, God was just silent? One of the most difficult of all seasons in life occurs when God is hidden from our eyes. And, it turns out, it is one of the most common experiences among God’s faithful. When we scan Scripture for wisdom on what to do when God seems to forsake us, we find stories and wisdom from Genesis to Revelation. The story that caught my attention, though, is the walk two disciples took from Jerusalem to Emmaus.

The story of the Road to Emmaus begins this way:

“That very day, two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.” (vs. 13-14)

“That very day.” Which day? Luke 24 opens on the morning of the third day after Christ’s crucifixion. Verse 13 takes us to the afternoon of the very day Christ rose from the dead. We will discover that not only were these two disciples aware of all the amazing and miraculous things that happened during Christ’s crucifixion, but they were also aware that the women had seen an empty tomb and were told that Jesus was alive.

What then was the tone of their conversation? Verses 18-27 show us that they were not filled with hope and anticipation for the risen Messiah. In fact, they called Jesus a “prophet” (not the Messiah), and when they were done, Jesus was irritated and explained to them that the risen Messiah was prophesied about long ago. To these two disciples, despite all that happened over the last three years and last three days, God had forsaken them and their Messiah was dead.

The twist to the story is that the risen Jesus is standing there with them, but, as verse 16 tells us, “their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” The language there means the fault was with the disciples—they were spiritually blind at this moment.

If we are in the disciple’s shoes at this moment, God has forsaken them. From our perspective, we see that Jesus is standing right there beside them.

Sometimes, when God is hidden from us, it is our fault. Often through neglect, we grow cold in our relationship with God. When we neglect prayer and Scripture, we should not be surprised if they feel “dead” when we reengage. When we neglect church or our spiritual disciplines, it will be natural that we have a hard time recognizing God.

Sometimes the problem is cultural conformity. Because we do not allow Christ to replace this world at the center of our souls, we are more children of this world than children of God. Romans 12:2 is enlightening in this context—when we are conformed to Christ, we can discern better what the will of God really is.

And the problem the two disciples had was simply a lack of faith. Though they walked and talked with Jesus and were aware of all the events of the weekend, they did not believe Jesus had actually risen from the grave. After all, that would be something no one else had ever done.

Jesus is great enough to do things you might consider impossible. Do I lack the faith to believe that God exists and that he is not silent? Can I truly believe that the risen Christ is walking and talking with me even now?

Minds on Fire: Daniel 1

Daniel 1

Christ was once asked what the greatest commandment in the Law was. His response, which he said encompassed all the Law and the Prophets, included the directive to love God with all our minds. We don’t always take time to look into what this means, but it is clear that we should. Scripture declares the importance of the life of our minds, and our lives should reflect that result. We should have minds on fire for God.

So what does a mind on fire look like? The story of Daniel and his friends gives us a great gateway into this question. As the book of Daniel opens we find that he and his friends have been forcibly removed from an enviable position in Jerusalem. They were among the best of their day, well educated, and probably on their way to positions of influence in Judah. They are described this way:

“Israelites from the royal family and nobility—young men who were healthy and handsome, intelligent and well-educated, good prospects for leadership positions in the government, perfect specimens!—and indoctrinate them in the Babylonian language and the lore of magic and fortunetelling.” (vs. 3-4, Message)

So why did God lead them into exile? Well, we have already answered the question. God needed people of strong character, faith, and who had exercised their minds in positions of power in Babylon. Not just anybody could influence the courses of two major world empires.

This is the first lesson of minds on fire for God: God can use them! Daniel’s exile is no punishment or divine neglect—it is strategic positioning. It is exactly because Daniel had a developed and alert mind that God was able to use him to do things many of his contemporaries simply were not.

The second and third lessons are in the story of Daniel and his friends refusing the Babylonian food in favor of a kosher diet. They did not want to risk eating food or drinking wine that had been sacrificed to pagan gods or was simply against their dietary laws, so they requested a diet of nothing but vegetables and water.

We all want to be faithful to God when the pressure or confusion comes, and that is a laudable sentiment. But as we see in Daniel, not only did he desire to be faithful, he knew how to do it. Because Daniel’s mind was fixed on his God he knew exactly what to do when the time came.

Then, as a result, Daniel and his friends were found to be ten times better than everyone else. Living in accord with their faith and worldview lead to lives that flourished. They were not exempt from struggle and persecution, but they flourished as they conformed their lives to the laws and will of God.

Finally, Daniel changed his world. God used a man who developed his capacities to their maximum to literally move the hearts of kings and nations. Minds on fire change things!

Is this love for God a little neglected in my life? Have I even paid attention to what it looks like for me in my situation? Take another step toward fulfilling the greatest commandment, and begin to develop a mind that loves its God deeply and powerfully. Maybe God can use you to change something.

Forming a Receptive Heart: Philippians 2:1-11

Philippians 2:1-11

What does it mean to form a heart that is open and receptive to God? Are there things I can do in order to put my emotions, attitudes, and passions in a position to be accessible to God? In Philippians 2, Paul speaks to the church using the example of Christ in order to encourage certain attitudes and behaviors that will open them up to the presence and activity of God and to each other as well.

Paul opens this section by saying:

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,” (vs. 1)

In essence Paul is saying something like, “Because you have received the security and encouragement of a new life in Christ Jesus,” then life should now look like this. These four phrases are sometimes a little hard to pin down, but the general sense of them is straightforward. Because there is security in this new life with Jesus Christ, we are in a place to move forward in our lives for God.

Insecurity stunts relationships. If we are constantly at a point of wondering if that friend still likes us or is mad at us, we cannot grow in that relationship until we receive assurance that we are still on good terms. The same is true of our relationship with Christ. We all have our seasons of doubt when we struggle with whether God really loves us, really cares for us, is now tired of us, is mad with us, or has rejected us all together; and in those seasons it is hard if not impossible to enjoy the fullness of His presence and grace.

Paul’s first point to us is that there is security in my relationship with Christ. His love is everlasting, unfailing, and unconditional and he will never leave me or fail me. Embracing that reality puts my heart in a place to embrace God in my life.

The second point is sometimes difficult.

“…in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (vs. 3-4)

Here, Paul has reached the core of this passage. Humility is a difficult virtue to figure out sometimes, but we should look at it like this: being humble is a lifestyle not burdened with my own pride. It is only in this way that I can truly consider you as more significant than myself—truly believe that it is more important for you to be here than me.

Many have mocked Christianity for its virtue of humility and some have even used humility as a weapon against it, but when we understand what Paul intends, we understand that a right sense of humility opens me up to others and to the presence and power of God.

Essentially, humility gets me out of the way. As soon as I am out of the way, then others can come into focus and I can become Christ’s hands and words to them.

To make his point that humility opens me to the activity of God, Paul cites the most shocking example of humility possible. Because Christ, before he came to this earth as a man, considered you as more significant than his place in heaven, not only do you have a chance at a relationship with God, but God has exalted Christ and given him a name that is above every other name.

It is because Christ was humble that I am saved. What is possible in my life if I allow humility to do its work in me?

Putting On The Life Of Christ: Colossians 3:1-17

Colossians 3:1-17

This section of Colossians 3 is really rather straightforward. Paul tells believers that because they are now children of God and no longer children of this world, their lives need to reflect that change. The way The Message puts the first verse is enlightening:

“So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it.”

What follows is Paul’s description of a Christian life; it is the kind of life that is progressing in one direction, constantly dawning new attitudes and behaviors and continually rejecting others. We should keep in mind as we read these lists that they are not academic exercises for Paul, instead, they flow from the habits and experience of his own life. Though far from perfect, Paul lived a life shaped by spiritual disciplines that reflected the kind of life Jesus lived while here on earth. Paul does not hope the Colossians can be a little bit like the believer described in this passage, he knows they can be and he expects them to be.

The first lesson about spiritual discipline is found in the vocabulary in the first few verses. Paul says, “seek the things that are above…Set your minds on…Put to death…you must put them all away.” The language is of intentionality and speaks to the orientation of my will. What do I really want for my mind, soul, and spirit? What I choose to set my mind on tells me a lot about what I prioritize.

The first lesson of the spiritual disciplines is that they are an intentional act of engagement. We are all often guilty of treating our relationship with God in a passive manner. We do not pay regular attention much less deliberately tend to it, and yet we expect it to be healthy, even growing. My spiritual life is oftentimes a matter of fits and spurts—big moments followed by extended neglect. In contrast, Paul paints a picture of a disciple who takes purposeful and thoughtful steps toward the end of seeking and finding God.

Secondly, when the spiritual disciplines have their way in me, life is radically different from what I am used to. Take verse 8 for instance, “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.” Imagine two things. First of all, if we could provide you with a pill that would automatically remove all these kinds of words and tones from your vocabulary and voice, how much of what you say would be left? And secondly, once these ways of reacting to the world are no longer available to you, how now would you react?

What that hypothetical pill does for us “mechanically,” the spiritual disciplines are supposed to do for us naturally. Frankly, a lifestyle without malice, slander, anger or obscenity is vastly different than the one I am used to right now.

And finally, verses 16 and 17 act as the capstone to this passage and answer the “How do I?” question. Notice that Paul does not recommend that the Colossians begin to pretend to engage in this behavior. Instead, he encourages the reading and memorizing of Scripture, the teaching and edification of each other, and worship. These are spiritual disciplines we engage in so that our behavior—the fruit of our lives—is changed. And this is the third lesson in this passage.

The spiritual disciplines are not primarily about behavior modification; they are first and foremost about proximity and surrender. When I am in the middle of a busy street chances are higher that I will be hit by a car than when I am in the middle of the park. The disciplines are intended to put me in the middle of the street where I am most likely to be “hit” by God. And they are also designed to be an expression of surrender; I am no longer the lord of my life, but I willingly give that place to Christ.

I encourage you to engage in one of the disciplines this week and take at least one more deliberate and thoughtful step toward your relationship with Christ.

The Spiritual Disciplines

In our discussion of the Spiritual Disciplines, it is helpful to have a list and brief explanation of some of them. This can act as a short reference as well as a springboard.

This list and classification come from Dallas Willard. Though not comprehensive, it is a very helpful list.

The two categories are important. The first, “Disciplines of Abstinence,” are designed to help us remove destructive and unhelpful things from our lives through acts that force us to stop, wait, remove, or eliminate. The “Disciplines of Engagement” are intended to build the right kinds of attitudes and habits into our daily lives.

Disciplines of Abstinence
Solitude: The practice of spending time without any others or any distractions.
Silence: No noise or conversation. Just you and God.
Fasting: Abstain from food, media, entertainment, or anything else that occupies your time.
Frugality: Use your money for purposes outside your own needs for a time.
Chastity: 1 Corinthians 7:8, “Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
Secrecy: Do not allow anyone to know of the deeds you do or the money you give in order to avoid doing them for the wrong motivations. Only God needs to know.
Sacrifice: Stretch your sense of what you can do without for the sake of those who have less.

Disciplines of Engagement
Study: Memorize Scripture and expand your universe of biblical study helps.
Worship: Engage in corporate worship and include worship in your own prayer time.
Celebration: Practice being grateful and thankful both in your own relationship with Christ and with other believers. Express encouragement and thankfulness to others.
Service: Give your time to the church and/or to others. Ponder tithing your time.
Prayer: Take deliberate steps to pray regularly and with purpose. Praying through the Psalms is a good way to increase your “prayer vocabulary.”
Fellowship: Hebrews 10:25, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Confession: Practice confessing your sins to trusted people who will pray with you and be spiritual allies.
Submission: Submit to the proper people in the proper ways—fight against the sin of pride.

Divine Favor: Matthew 5:1-12

Matthew 5:1-12

As Matthew chapter 5 opens, imagine the scene you would have encountered if you were with Jesus. First, you know very little about this teacher. His ministry has just begun and you are just a few days old as a follower, but you have already been witness to some amazing things. Just the day before, Jesus was teaching in the Synagogues and healed “every disease and affliction among the people.” (Matt. 4:23) As far as you can tell, no teacher has actually healed anyone.

His message is the kingdom of God. Your curiosity is piqued as you try to absorb the meaning of life in this new kingdom, for it is clearly different from the kingdom you have spent your life in so far. After all, in the kingdom of God, people are healed.

Then the crowds begin to follow him. The people are made up of the recently healed and the “need-to-be-healed.” The people bring to him “all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.” (Matt. 4:24) This crowd is not comprised of the socially mobile, the cultural elite or the rich and handsome. In fact, this crowd smells just a bit.

It is at this point that Jesus gathers his disciples around him on a hillside and begins to teach them and the crowd a little more about the kingdom of God, and instead of beginning with a list of requirements or moral imperatives, he begins with blessing; he begins with what it is to be blessed in the kingdom of God.

The Beatitudes have been an abundant source for discussion and sermonizing, and it often happens that passages as familiar as this one lose their impact. Through the years, many have interpreted them as a list of moral requirements. In other words, this view holds that the formula of the Beatitudes is something like, “I am only blessed if…” But that misses their point entirely.

We should approach the Beatitudes more like an illustrated sermon. As each blessing is given, imagine Jesus pointing to some soul in the crowd who has just received his healing touch or who desperately needs it. What Jesus is explaining is that “Even this one is blessed in the kingdom of God.” To the new disciples, the word “blessed” means to be a privileged recipient of divine favor and was normally applied to the wealthy and powerful. But now, surrounded by a crowd of needy and broken people, this teacher says they are privileged recipients of divine favor.

The Beatitudes are living examples of what it means to be a part of the kingdom of God through a relationship with Jesus. The beatitude of this crowd obviously had nothing to do with their merit or their own achievement; it was a gift from God. Receiving God’s favor is not about my current or anticipated situation, and being blessed, now that the kingdom of God has come in the person of Jesus, is not tied to my earthly happiness.

You should say this out loud today: “I am blessed.” It does not matter what your circumstances are. If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, you are a privileged recipient of divine favor and a member of the kingdom of God.

Promise Keeping: Jeremiah 34

Jeremiah 34

King Zedekiah was more of a fool than a demon. Several of the kings before him were evil, even very evil, and one recent king was even righteous, but Zedekiah was too much of a politician. He ran his life and his kingdom according to the most recent need perceived by his advisors and made his decisions based on attempts at short-term pandering. And it got him in trouble.

Jeremiah 34 tells the story of Zedekiah breaking two very important promises and what became of the man as a result. The first promise was made to Nebuchadnezzar when the general of the Babylonian army took the true king of Judah into exile and erected Zedekiah as his puppet-king. The explicit understanding was that Zedekiah would be loyal to Babylon, but chapter 34 opens this way:

“…when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army and all the kingdoms of the earth under his dominion and all the peoples were fighting against Jerusalem and all of its cities:” (vs.1 )

Zedekiah listened to his advisors instead of honoring his promise to Babylon and started an insurrection in hopes of breaking free (see chapter 27). The result, instead of freedom from their enemies, was a renewed effort on Babylon’s part to destroy Jerusalem. Jeremiah tells Zedekiah that the city will be burned and he will be taken into exile, and though Zedekiah will not die by the sword, his fate is worse than death. As a result of his promise breaking, Nebuchadnezzar will slaughter his sons before his eyes and then gouge them out.

But Zedekiah is not done breaking oaths. The rest of the chapter details a covenant he made before God to free all the slaves in Jerusalem. The slaves were freed, but it didn’t take long for Zedekiah to revoke the oath and recapture the slaves. God was pleased he made the oath and that the slaves were freed, but then became sarcastic over the broken covenant:

“Therefore, thus says the LORD: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbor; behold, I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine, declares the LORD. I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.” (vs. 17)

The habit of breaking promises, of lying, is a powerful relationship killer. In dramatic fashion Zedekiah destroyed the relationship established between himself and Nebuchadnezzar and then he harmed his relationship with God as well. Proverbs 26:28 says, “A lying tongue hates its victims.” In Psalm 5:6 the sins of murder and lying are paired when the Psalmist says, “You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty, and the deceitful man.”

When it comes to lying the most telling passage of Scripture is possibly Colossians 3:9-10.

“Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”

In other words, the more truthful my speech becomes, the more full of integrity my language and actions are, the more like Christ I become. Lying belongs to the old, decrepit part of my sin nature that, by the grace of Jesus Christ, is overcome with a new nature.

Being a truthful person is a character I develop. It begins with keeping my word and my promises and sinks deep into my soul and becomes integrity. Truth telling is the character God wants me to develop as his child. My folly is that I often think I can maintain relationships—with my fellow beings and with God—while being deceitful.

Christ Is My Righteousness: Jeremiah 33:14-16

Jeremiah 33:14-16

When we allow it to happen, the work that God does in the life of a believer and the life of the body of Christ is deep and lasting. Near the end of Jeremiah 33, God declares that the day will come when David’s son-the Messiah-will arrive and fulfill every promise he made to his people. The difference between this coming king and the kings Jeremiah has contended with is stark.

First of all, this King is legitimate. After a string of degenerates and half-wits, this King is the rightful heir of David and the unique God-Man among us.

“In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous branch to spring up for David.” (vs. 15)

God speaks this through his prophet at a time when the monarchy seems on the brink of extinction. The rightful king, Jehoiachin, is captive in Babylon and his uncle, Zedekiah, a puppet king set up by Babylon, sits on the throne. Add to this the fact that the exiles have begun and there seems to be no national hope at all.

Secondly, God’s King is a just king. Not only is he righteous and our righteousness, but he is a moral and upright ruler, as well.

“and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” (vs. 15)

The way The Message puts it is that, “He will run this country honestly and fairly.” What more could an oppressed and battered nation of people want? It can be fairly said that much of the pain and suffering being endured by the masses came upon them because of their corrupt leadership. In stark contrast, God’s King is honest, fair, just, and righteous.

And when the King has come and completed his work, the result is a powerful change of name and character for the people:

“And this is the name by which it will be called, ‘The Lord is our righteousness’.” (vs. 16)

The successful and victorious work of the Messiah leads to a name change-at least, the kind of title that reflects a change. We have already seen that up to this point Judah’s character is clear-they are infamous for their corruption and rebellion. Judah is known for their character of sin (see 17:1). After God does his work, however, they are known for his character. Judah will be known for God’s righteousness.

Before Christ does his work in my life, I am a slave to my passions and corruption. I am by nature an enemy of God (Rom. 5:10, Col. 1:21). But after Christ does his victorious work in my life, I can be called by his name; I can be known for his character.

As a follower of Christ, I am not after my own goodness. A successful transformation occurs when the life and light of Christ is transplanted in me in place of my own brokenness. The life I live is not my own, but is Christ living in me. The Lord is our righteousness-Christ is my life.

Turning My Attention: Philippians 4:4-9

Philippians 4:4-9

As Paul closes this letter to the church at Philippi, he provides believers with several very practical guides to living a life formed by the Spirit of God.  When we think of spiritual formation we often, and unfortunately, think of esoteric practices engaged in by people who are gifted spiritually and who have the time to separate themselves from the “real world.”  In stark contrast to this caricature, however, the life of the ordinary believer outlined in the New Testament is one that is being constantly formed by Christ amidst the contours of our daily lives.  Each and every Christian is called to be a disciple of Christ-no matter your station in life or your personality.

To truly gain a handle on verse 4, we need to recall Paul’s and the Philippians’ condition.  Paul is in prison on his way to the executioner and the Philippians are under persecution, possibly severe persecution.  Given these realities, Paul says:

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.”

Why rejoice?  Certainly it is not because of his or the church’s circumstances; Paul doesn’t even know if this imprisonment will result in his death or his release, so he isn’t basing his rejoicing on the possibility of his legal and political freedom.  Paul has learned to rest his reasons for rejoicing on more solid ground.  His purpose, his meaning in life, his reason for being content and thankful is founded upon nothing else but Jesus Christ.

And this is the first lesson of this passage: Attention determines perspective.  If Paul’s attention were wrapped up in his dire circumstances, he would have no earthly reason to rejoice.  It is the same lesson Peter so clearly learned when he got out of the boat to walk to Jesus during the storm.  As long as his attention was on Christ, he was able to do what made no earthly sense.  When his attention was diverted to the storm, what seemed only natural happened-he began to sink.

The injunction in verse 6 to not be anxious is both very difficult to follow and repeated over and over in the New Testament.  Anxiety is not becoming of a follower of Christ, but it is one of the most natural reactions to life that we all have.  Paul’s antidote to anxiety is simple-prayer.  When we pray and turn our attention to Christ in thankfulness and supplication, the result is the kind of peace that only makes sense if God exists and is truly in control.  We enter prayer full of anxiety.  We exit it with the peace of God.  Paul notes:

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (vs. 7)

The second lesson, then, rises to the surface: Attention determines my peace.  The promise of prayer and the exercise of my faith in God’s Lordship is the kind of peace that transcends my circumstances.

Then Paul enjoins the believers to turn their minds and lives toward things, ideas, and people who exemplify the qualities of God.  When Paul says, “think about these things,” he intends us to dwell upon, even take account of these kinds of things.  In order to live out the commands of 4:8 and 9, we need to take time to list, count out, settle our minds upon, the kinds of things and people who bring glory to God.  We need to do this because what our minds dwell upon shapes our souls.

The third lesson: Attention determines the shape of my soul.  In a set of recent polls, it has been shown that young American males find very few things offensive.  They have been so over-exposed to debauchery, filth, violence, and the sort, that their consciences are no longer pricked.  Because their minds have been so filled with rubbish, their view of what is normal, even moral, has become deeply maladjusted.

On the other hand, when I turn my mind to the kinds of things and people listed by Paul, my soul is formed in the image of Christ, I become more and more human, and I learn how to find God’s fingerprint in creation.

To what am I paying attention today?

A Deep Forgiveness: Jeremiah 33:1-9

Jeremiah 33:1-9

There are moments in the book of Jeremiah where, if you are reading carefully, you might experience a little bit of literary whiplash. These moments, highlighted by God describing judgment and then suddenly speaking of grace and forgiveness, are telling when it comes to the character and activity of God. We read this kind of passage in Jeremiah 33 between verses 5 and 6.

“They are coming in to fight against the Chaldeans and to fill them with the dead bodies of men whom I shall strike down in my anger and my wrath, for I have hidden my face from this city because of all their evil. Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security.”

One moment God describes the judgment he is allowing to fall on Judah, then he suddenly switches to health and healing. If Judah has been so full of rebellion for generations, and the judgment that falls on them is God’s righteous work, how is it God suddenly brings grace and forgiveness?

First of all, we should note that we probably do not understand the fullness of God’s forgiveness until we grasp the depth of sin. The sinfulness of sin illuminates forgiveness. The fact that God forgives his people is not remarkable until we know how deep their rebellion against him really went.

The core of the answer to our question is contained in verse 8. Here God describes his forgiveness of sin using each primary concept for “sin” found in the Old Testament thus addressing sin in every way we can imagine it. The NIV translation catches the nuances well:

“I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.”

God will cleanse them of “all the sin” they have committed. This act of God refers to the state of our hearts-the sin nature. There are sins we actually commit, and then there is the nature that inclines us to rebel against God. One Puritan theologian described the difference as, “the root and the fruit of sin.” This first promise is to cleanse us from the root of sin.

Then God will forgive all the “sins of rebellion” we commit against him. These are the actual deeds of sin we commit, and these are what we typically feel need to be forgiven. It is easier for us to feel the prick of our rebellious behavior than it is to experience conviction over our sin natures. But God promises to forgive both, and it is this kind of forgiveness that changes my life.

Is learning to live a Christ-like life just a matter of behavior modification? Can we truly say someone is living Christ’s life if they are just a “do-gooder”? The transformation of a disciple of Christ is far more than just the modification of behavior.

Instead, a Christ-like life is one in which the change goes deeper than the surface behaviors of my life. The kind of transformation and forgiveness promised in Jeremiah 33:8 changes my character and inclinations and gives rise to the fruit of the Spirit as naturally as a healthy apple tree produces apples.

Learn to live in this lifestyle of forgiveness-the kind graciously given by God and the kind that is constantly at work in the deepest recesses of my soul to change me and make me new. So be it.

Call To Me: Jer 33:3

Jeremiah 33:3

How well do you think you would communicate with a stranger from a foreign land whose language you did not speak? If you needed to communicate with this person, what kind of effort would it take? No doubt it would require time and a great deal of work on your part to learn the language, the nuance of their vocabulary, and enough about their culture to understand better how they are trying to communicate.

How well do you think you communicate with God?

While Jeremiah is still in prison in chapter 33, God enters and speaks with him again. At this point, God wants to tell his people about the hope and restoration that is in store for them. Though the prophet is locked up in jail with no foreseeable hope of release and the countryside is full of Babylonians waging war against Judah, God has a future and a hope for his people.

When God begins this message to his prophet, he notes something about communicating with him:

“Call to me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” (vs. 3)

When God says, “call,” it conveys a deep and serious request. Sometimes this word is used to describe the roars or groans of animals. This is no half-hearted request, but a petition that has its source in my deepest desires and longings. Oftentimes our prayers are a little half-hearted and full of distraction, so it is no wonder that our communication with God may feel the same way. Have I called to God in the way described to the prophet?

Often Scripture will use the vocabulary of physical hunger to describe this kind of call. We all know what it means to crave some kind of food, but do we know what it feels like to crave communion with God? Psalm 63:1 puts it this way:

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

And what results when we call for God in this way? God says, “and I will answer you.” This is an overwhelming promise and I am not sure we know exactly the extent of this kind of gift.

We might be tempted to think this means God will grant us all our requests if we try hard enough to get them, but the evidence of Scripture and life say otherwise. Instead of this being a promise to give us what we want, I believe it is a promise of communication. When we put the effort in to calling to God as described in Jeremiah 33:3, we learn to talk to someone who is not visible, hear someone who doesn’t speak to me in an audible voice, and touch someone who is spirit. In other words, I learn to communicate with God and gain the ability to see, hear, and touch him in ways I do not now understand.

I communicate well with my wife because we have been talking everyday for over twelve years. I may not hear God answering me in large part because I have failed to put the time into communicating with Him.

Nothing Is Impossible: Jer 32

Jeremiah 32:26-44

One of the more fruitful aspects of studying Old Testament prophets is the conversational relationship many of them have with God. Often, when a prophet prays or asks questions, God answers. In my walk with God, I may not always hear an audible voice answering me when I pray, but I do have the record of God’s responses to His prophet’s prayers throughout Scripture. In this passage, Jeremiah has wondered what God was up to in having him buy a field that was useless to him and for the foreseeable future. Jeremiah opens his prayer in faith by saying, “Nothing is too hard for you.” (vs. 17) And he closes it with a request for understanding, “Yet you, O Lord God, have said to me, ‘Buy the field…’ though the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.” (vs. 25)

God answers by beginning where Jeremiah began. He says:

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” (vs. 26)

Later, at the end of the prayer, God reiterates to Jeremiah that he will restore the land and bring the exiles back thus making the purchase of the land a fruitful and purposeful act of hope on Jeremiah’s part. But it is the beginning of God’s answer that intrigues me.

Often in Jeremiah’s life he poses direct questions to God and in may of those instances we have God’s response. What is telling about God’s answers to Jeremiah are that he rarely-if ever-directly answers the question. This passage is no exception. Instead of reassuring Jeremiah right up front that Judah will come back from exile and the land will be restored, he asks Jeremiah if he has the faith to leave it in his hands.

Instead of telling Jeremiah exactly when, where and how the exile will end and the land will be restored he essentially tells the prophet, “I can handle it.”

Can I accept that kind of answer from God? Do I have what it takes to press on in life as faithfully as I know how when the resolution to my present need is out there in the unforeseen future? Almost every time God speaks and answers Jeremiah’s prayers for understanding, the gist of the response is that what Jeremiah really needs is faith in God and the strength to persevere. As a follower of Christ I will never have all my questions answered, so what then will be my demeanor toward life? Will I base my relationship with God on blessing and positively answered prayer? Or will I base it on the “rock that is higher than I”? (Ps. 61:2)

In his excellent biography of Oswald Chambers, David McCasland tells a story in which Oswald and his wife, Biddy, visited a sick friend who was close to death. When they returned home, Biddy wondered out-loud about what God would do. Oswald responded, “I don’t care what God does. It’s what God is that I care about.” Oswald’s remark was not intended to be blunt or unfeeling. Instead, it was intended to convey the fact that though God’s actions are sometimes confusing, the Lord himself never is.

I may not always be able to explain God’s timing or actions with regard to my situation, but I can always affirm the truth that with him nothing is impossible. That is the promise and the faith that will sustain me through any and all seasons in life.

A Prayer For The Confused: Jeremiah 32:16-25

Jeremiah 32:16-25

Jeremiah’s cousin, Hanamel, visited him in prison and sold him a piece of the family farm. Jeremiah, under the prompting of God, obliged and sealed the purchase as legally as he knew how and preserved the documents for future generations. The catch is that the land is useless not only to Jeremiah, but to an entire generation of Judeans who are about to be taken off into exile. So why did God ask Jeremiah to buy the land? That is a good question, and one that Jeremiah now poses to God.

When we come to God in prayer and have something on our mind to ask of him, how do our prayers typically begin? When we have a request of God, what is the content and structure of our prayer? If you are anything like me, those prayers are usually entirely comprised of supplication. Here, however, we have a beautiful example of a prayer from a prophet of God in a time of bewilderment, and in it there is much for us to learn about our prayer lives.

First of all, the final verse of the prayer is Jeremiah’s inquiry. It is posed in the form of an implied question:

“Behold, the siege mounds have come up to the city to take it, and because of sword and famine and pestilence the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What you spoke has come to pass, and behold, you see it. Yet you, O Lord GOD, have said to me, ‘Buy the field for money and get witnesses’--though the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.” (32:24-25)

We should take note, though, that the request for understanding is the last verse, and only the last verse of the prayer. Here is how Jeremiah begins:

“Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who has made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. You show steadfast love to thousands…” (32:17-18)

For seven verses, Jeremiah extols God, lists his qualities and greatness, and then gets to his request. He begins by noting that God is the creator of the universe. What that means is that God created not only the heavens and the earth, but he created Jeremiah as well and knows his beginning from his end. Then the prophet praises God for his enduring love to all people. Even in the midst of strife and tumult, God loves his people and he loves Jeremiah.

Through the rest of the prayer Jeremiah praises God as all knowing, for being all powerful, and for being the great History Maker. If God was able to arrange the Exodus from Egypt, certainly he can handle this matter of the Babylonians.

When Jeremiah came to God with a request, his prayer was seven parts praise and one part petition. By focusing his prayer time on God’s greatness and goodness, he put his focus on the important thing-on God instead of his confusion. It has been said that good prayer requires good theology. If we do not know who our God is, then to whom do we pray? If our prayers are small and anemic, it might be because our God is small and anemic.

Begin your prayers this week by focusing your attention on God in all his splendor and love, spend time there before you move on to your supplication, and see if it doesn’t change your perspective and maybe even your situation.

An Act of Hope: Jeremiah 32:1-15

Jeremiah 32:1-15

If you know just a handful of stories or verses from Jeremiah, chances are you know a little of this narrative in which Jeremiah buys a field. As the chapter opens, we join Jeremiah “shut up in the court of the guard” (vs. 2)-he was in jail. The story of his inprisonment is detailed in chapters 37 and 38, but in short, he continued to speak God’s word thereby irritating king Zedekiah and receiving the punishment of being thrown into prison.

While there, God visits him and warns him of his visiting cousin, Hanamel, who is on his way to sell Jeremiah a piece of the family’s property.

Though the basic story of chapter 32 is fairly familiar, its impact does not have its full force until we pay attention to the setting of this transaction. First of all, the visitor is a relative. We last saw Jeremiah’s family in chapters 11 and 12 when Jeremiah learns of their plot to kill him, so it is doubtful that Hanamel has come to Jeremiah out of the kindness of his heart-he needs to make a buck and run. Second, the Babylonians are camped on the land Hanamel wants to sell. The family farm is swarming with angry Chaldeans who are killing and capturing Judeans. Thirdly, Jeremiah is keenly away of the coming exile and the 70 year period in which this piece of land is going to be a desolate waste. And finally, Jeremiah is a condemned man in prison. Even if the land is useful, it is doubtful Jeremiah will ever see it and make use of it.

So what does Jeremiah do?

“And I bought the field at Anathoth from Hanamel my cousin, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver.” (vs. 9)

Though this is likely the worst real estate transaction in the OT, Jeremiah buys the field. Another detail is significant. Jeremiah goes through the entire legal rigor necessary for this kind of contract and gives the documents to Baruch to be preserved. Why does Jeremiah buy the field and why does he preserve the documents? The answers are the message.

“For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought on this land.” (vs. 15)

Jeremiah does not buy the land for its immediate promise or investment potential, but in faith hoping in God’s word that the land will again be populated and fruitful. Jeremiah believed God was powerful enough to accomplish His word and he acted on it. This transaction literally makes no sense unless you truly believe the word of God.

In commenting on this story, Eugene Peterson said that Christian hope is an act. If we hope in God, the actions of our lives-the insignificant and the significant-will reflect our hope that God will accomplish His word. Jeremiah’s act of hope was for his fellow Judean prisoners (vs. 12), his future descendants who would again settle on this very piece of property, and for us who need to learn what it means to live a life of hope in God.

One of my favorite quotes goes like this, “Live your life in such a way that it makes no sense apart from the existence of God.” Jeremiah’s purchase of the land makes absolutely no sense unless God exists and is able to fulfill His promises to His people.

Does my life reflect that kind of hope? Is it the case that the only way to explain my life and my choices is to conclude that God exists and that He is faithful?

The New Covenant: Jeremiah 31:21-40

Jeremiah 31:21-40

Covenants were made to be broken. At least you would think that was the case if you tracked the history of all the covenants God established in the Old Testament. Each covenant’s basic structure is, “I, God, will do X and you, human, will do Y.” From Adam to Moses, when a covenant is broken, it is always broken in the same way-people fail. So what good will it do to establish a new covenant? What is the point in God recreating a new covenant when every one so far has fallen to pieces?

Well, the covenant promised in Jeremiah 31 is not only new, it is different from the others. We begin to get this sense in 31:22 where Jeremiah says:

“For the Lord has created a new thing on the earth: a woman encircles a man.”

Jeremiah chose the word for “created” that first appears in Genesis 1:1. This is the sense of “create” in which something completely new happens that only God is able to enact. As for a woman encircling a man, though it is a cryptic phrase it most likely refers to God’s people clinging onto God and not letting go. If they have let go every time in the past, then this truly is a new thing.

In what is likely the theological highlight of Jeremiah, and arguably the theological high point in the OT, Jeremiah declares the new covenant:

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.” (31:31)

In this brief passage in verses 31-34, this new covenant is described in powerful and world-changing language. First, under the new covenant, there is deep reconciliation. God’s covenant is with Israel and Judah-two brother nations who split apart centuries before in violent and bloody conflict. This same theme is picked up in several places in the New Testament (Latin for “New Covenant”) including Galatians chapter 3:

“But now that faith has come…in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (vs. 25-28)

Second, there is deep regeneration. God will write his law on their hearts. Jeremiah has already told us what is currently written on our hearts in 17:1 where he remarks that sin and rebellion are like stone tablets within us.

Third there is a deep act of intimacy. We will all know God and no one will need to teach his neighbor about him. Instead of needing to be reminded of God on a regular and daily basis, we will enjoy such intimacy with him that we will be continually in His presence.

Fourthly, there is a deep satisfaction for sins and this is where we realize what has changed so dramatically with this new covenant. In his last conversation with his disciples, Jesus speaks of his death and resurrection and says:

“This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

What is so new about this covenant is that it is not between God and humanity-it is between God and Christ. This covenant cannot be broken by my sin and rebellion; I am not on pins and needles waiting for the other shoe to drop. I am the blessed and undeserving recipient of the benefits of a covenant between two other parties. Christ fulfilled this covenant and sits at the right hand of God waiting his reward. You and I partake in this unlimited forgiveness and grace through the loving act of a merciful God who has created something new upon the earth.

Suffering and Despair: Jer 31

Jeremiah 31:15-20

Many times we know segments of Old Testament Scripture because of their usage in the New. When we read Jeremiah 31:15, it rings familiar in our ears, but probably because of where it is in the book of Matthew. Well, Jeremiah is the first place we encounter this well-known passage and he has something particular to communicate to us. This part of his dream (vs. 26) begins:

Thus says the LORD:
"A voice is heard in Ramah,
lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
she refuses to be comforted for her children,
because they are no more."

Rachel refers to the beloved wife of Jacob, and the mother of two children-Joseph and Benjamin. As the mother of Joseph, her appearance here is significant for being the matriarch of Joseph’s two children Manasseh and Ephraim. These two tribes become the dominant two in the northern kingdom of Israel by the time they are taken into captivity by Assyria. By telling us he hears Rachel weeping for her children, Jeremiah is referring to how long-gone and dispersed the northern kingdom of Israel had become in the last two hundred years. Literally, only God knows where her children are.

Ramah is a geographical location just north of Bethlehem significant for being the place where Rachel gave birth to Benjamin, died as a result, and was buried. Jeremiah, in this dream, hears Rachel mourning from her grave for her lost children.

But there is more to Ramah than its historical significance for Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 40:1 we read that he is taken captive by the conquering Babylonians and taken to the way station for exiles in Ramah. Ramah, for Jeremiah’s contemporaries, was one of those places where you knew for sure the effects of the siege warfare and famine. Here exiles are processed and learn for sure their family members are dead or gone and that their lives are about to be forcibly changed forever. Jeremiah did not just hear Rachel from the grave, he stood next to grieving mothers who had their children ripped from their arms and would not be consoled.

These are the images Matthew calls to mind in chapter 2 verses 16-18 when Herod slaughters all the male children in Bethlehem 2 years old and younger. But NT authors rarely refer to just a single OT verse when they quote OT passages. Matthew, though he hears the weeping, also hears something else-he hears the rest of the passage in Jeremiah beginning with verses 16 and 17:

Thus says the LORD:
"Keep your voice from weeping,
and your eyes from tears,…
There is hope for your future,
declares the LORD.

When the Messiah was born, a great slaughter ensued because of an evil king, but the Messiah was born. And this Messiah would bring light and life to all, including the Bethlehem infants.

Scripture recognizes and validates the reality and the depth of suffering and evil. Scripture allows us to grieve and mourn when necessary and appropriate. But Scripture does not let us stay there; we are not to despair of all hope. Suffering is real, but is it never the last word. The Puritan Matthew Henry said, “we can mourn, but we cannot mummer.”

In Anne of Green Gables, Anne asked Cuthbert this question, “Can’t you even imagine you’re in the depths of despair?” The wise Cuthbert responded, “No I cannot. To despair is to turn your back on God.”

And I Will Be Your God: Jeremiah 30-31

Jeremiah 30:18-31:14

After 29 chapters of warning and judgment, we now find ourselves in the middle of a section of Jeremiah where God promises blessing and wholeness for His people. Between chapters 30 and 31, the promised graces bestowed upon Judah and Israel are a redemption of the people’s behavior before the exile, and what was lost in the exile. Over and over, the curse is turned around as God blesses His people. In what might be the most radical of these reversals, God says:

“Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel!” (31:4)

Keep in mind that for centuries, God has warned an adulterous people that their whoring after other gods would lead to their corruption and their destruction. Israel was anything but a virgin.

But that is exactly how deep the forgiveness of God goes. Israel was not suddenly worthy of this renewed status-God bestowed it upon them in an act of love that we can only vaguely comprehend. A wicked and adulterous people received the grace and forgiveness of God, returned to their homeland, and became the favored and forgiven people of God once more. That same grace is available to each and every sinner while they are still sinners.

As a powerful commentary on the reversal of the curse, God says:

“And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.” (30:22)

The phrase, “I will be your God” becomes a refrain for not only Jeremiah but for another prophet during the exile as well. In 36:24-31 Ezekiel says:

“You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. And I will deliver you from all uncleanness.”

In this passage especially, the curse is reversed in terms of not only the specific sins and consequences perpetrated and suffered by Israel and Judah, but on a much deeper level as well. A deliverance from “all uncleanness” is a promise to not only modify my behavior, but to modify my desires as well.

Though I may not always commit certain sins, I may certainly be drawn to them. If I am smart I modify my actions and routines in order to avoid situations that put me in a position of temptation. That is behavior modification, and it is good as far as it goes. But the work of the Spirit in my life wants to go deeper.

Imagine a situation in which your natural inclinations-your natural and instinctual responses-are Christ-like. In some scenario in which you might have been tempted to rebel in the past, rebellion now actually cuts against the grain of your desires. In this position, it is hard to sin and easy to be Christ-like.

This is much of what the Spirit is at work at in my life, as I become one of the people of God and learn how to live like God has become my God. With the Spirit resident in my life, I have a taste of that final, blessed moment when we will see God face-to-face and the curse will be completely gone. What Jeremiah promised comes to fruition in Revelation 21:3-4:

“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning or crying or pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Fear Not: Jeremiah 30:1-17

Jeremiah 30:1-17

This chapter begins a very distinct section within Jeremiah sometimes called “The Book of Consolation.”  There have been glimmers of hope so far in his book, but here it hits the surface and become the focus of attention.  In the next four chapters, Jeremiah concentrates on the hope in store for God’s people, even though they find themselves in exile.

It is worthwhile to note that as the chapter opens, Jeremiah addresses this section to both Judah and Israel.  This is the first substantial reference to the long-gone northern kingdom.  The idea is that both Israel and Judah are now in the same condition-entirely decimated as a result of exile-and that God’s promise of hope applies to all His people.  Israel, though long gone into Assyria, has not been forgotten by God.

Jeremiah, though, sees the turmoil and difficulty the nation is currently in.  He sees the best, brightest and strongest doubled over in pain as if they were women in labor: “Ask now, and see, can a man bear a child? Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor? Why has every face turned pale?” (vs. 6)   When women go through labor they bring forth life, but when Judah’s warriors went through their labor, it only produced death and destruction.

But that is not the whole story.  God will rescue His people from their captivity in order to return them to their homeland to serve Him.  As with the prophecy of the yoke in chapter 28, God’s people will either be slaves to their sin, or will willingly serve their God.

Then Jeremiah says, “fear not.” (vs. 10)  The command, “fear not” is the most repeated command in all of Scripture.  Of everything commanded by God, the prophets, the apostles, angels, and others, “fear not” shows up more often than anything else.  This communicates at least two very important things.  First, the most common human condition is something like fear and anxiety.  And second, it is the emotion or reaction to life that is least warranted for a follower of Christ.

God just doesn’t give us the command without any support behind it, however.  Later in this little section, He tells us why we should not be afraid.  He says in verse 11, “For I am with you to save you.”  “I am with you”: those have to be the four most encouraging words in Scripture.

They show up at pivotal points in the lives of God’s people.  When Jacob was fleeing from Esau to only God knows where, God showed up in the wilderness and told Jacob that He was with him wherever he went (Gen. 28:15).  When Moses stood before the burning bush full of excuses, God told him that He was with him (Ex. 3:12).  After Moses died over a million people stood on the edge of the Promised Land.  The burden of their futures fell on one man, Joshua, and what do you think God’s message was to him? (Joshua 1:9)  When Mary and Joseph faced a complicated and problematic social situation with the birth of their child, what did the angel tell them to name him?  His name was Immanuel-God was with Mary and Joseph.

And when the disciple Matthew reflected on his life with Jesus and composed his book-when he arranged the beginning, middle and end, and included the stories and discussions he wanted us to hear-what was the last thing he wanted you to hear Jesus say?  “And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

God With Us-In Exile: Jer 29

Jeremiah 29

Exile can’t be easy.  Different landscapes, different languages and accents, different customs and food, and foreign sights and sounds can add to a sense of displacement and anxiety.  Add to that the fact that the people of Judah were forcibly removed from their homeland and family and taken to the homeland of a brutal dictator, and you have a recipe for cultural and personal destruction.

Here in chapter 29 Jeremiah sends a letter to the exiles to give them God’s word for the near future.  His address adds to the sense of devastation when he says, “to the surviving elders of the exile.” (vs. 1)  The fundamental message of the letter is straightforward if not surprising to the community in exile.  Keep in mind the message of the false prophets Jeremiah has been countering for years.  Recently, in chapter 28, we heard Hananiah promise a short and relatively pain-free exile.  Jeremiah predicted 70 years.

The message of the letter is that the exiles should settle in and sink roots in the area and the culture.  They should build houses, plant gardens, eat their harvest, and marry off their children; they should live as God’s people in a foreign land.  At the end of the chapter, Shemaiah writes back to the priest in charge of the Temple in Jerusalem and tells him he should do something about this troublemaker, Jeremiah.  Shemaiah is bothered by the long exile message, and intends to get rid of the messenger.

But Jeremiah’s message is clear-God will be with His people while they are in exile, not by taking them out of exile.  His plan for them is that they live as His people in a foreign and pagan culture.

Into this context comes possibly the best-known verse in Jeremiah.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (vs. 11)

Many people have memorized this verse for personal edification and comfort, and it is true that God does pay this kind of personal attention to us.  But two things should be understood about what Jeremiah means with this verse.  First, the application is primarily corporate.  God’s promise for a future and a hope is for the whole nation 70 years from now.  This means that there are exiles hearing this promise that will not live to see the day it comes to pass.  But that does not leave them out of God’s pledge.  If they build a godly culture in Babylon, then there will be a faithful and strong remnant that will return to rebuild the Judean culture and religion after they are gone.

Secondly, it is a promise to people who are in exile and who will be in exile for a while.  It is not a promise of immediate removal from exile, but of God’s faithful presence with believers who turn their entire attention and being upon Him in the midst of it all.  He tells them:

…you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you…(vss. 12-14)

God is with me even now.  It matters not how deep my sorrow or confusion, and it matters not how vexing my situation.  All I need to do is turn myself to Him and seek after Him with all my will, intellect, emotions, and desires-everything.  Then, He will be found by me.

Reconciliation with God: Jeremiah 28

Jeremiah 28


More than once Jeremiah comes into conflict with false prophets.  Most times they are anonymous, but here we meet one in particular who is unhappy with Jeremiah’s message in chapter 27.  There Jeremiah wore an oxen yoke before the king and the region’s ambassadors to invite them to join him in submission to Nebuchadnezzar.

As chapter 28 opens, we should keep in mind that several weeks, if not months, have passed.  Jeremiah is still wearing the yoke, and it gets to Hananiah.  He meets Jeremiah in the Temple court and confronts him with his own message.  In the course of two verses, 3 and 4, he contradicts all the major points in Jeremiah’s message from the last few chapters.  Hananiah is tired of the bothersome prophet and he is tired of the yoke.  Hananiah’s next move is to take the yoke from Jeremiah’s neck and smash it to pieces (vs. 10-11).

The first thing that strikes me about this confrontation is the difference between Hananiah and Jeremiah.  If all we had of this book was the first two-thirds of this chapter, it would be hard to tell God’s true prophet from the false prophet.  They both have prophetic names, they both sound alike in their proclamations, and they both make use of the yoke-the symbolic tool.  The difference, though possibly elusive, is crucial and profound.

Part of Jeremiah’s response to him is a history and theology lesson wrapped up in a couple of short verses.  Here is how the Message puts parts of verses 7-9:

But listen to me, listen closely. Listen to what I tell both you and all the people here today: The old prophets, the ones before our time, preached judgment against many countries and kingdoms, warning of war and disaster and plague. So any prophet who preaches that everything is just fine and there's nothing to worry about stands out like a sore thumb.

Jeremiah reminds him that the role of prophet is to warn people of their rebellious behavior, and that the prophet preaching only “peace and safety” is the odd man out.  As a result of such behavior, we know that the prophet has at the core of their message a theme of turning away from sin and toward God.

In a way, Hananiah’s message is actually accurate.  All the things he says God will do, God eventually does.  All Hananiah gets wrong is the timing and the process.  He preaches a message of prosperity and blessing without outlay; a message of success without responsibility; a message of reconciliation without repentance.

On the other hand, Jeremiah’s message has been clear.  God wanted a blessed and intense relationship with His people, but their behavior was driving a wedge between them.  If they repented and turned to Him, He would forgive and bless.  If they continued in their sin they would simply suffer the consequences.

Because of God’s great love and His initiation, we have a chance at that blessed and passionate relationship.  And just as with our meaningful relationships with other people, we sometimes need to examine our behavior and turn ourselves toward that person to reconcile.  Take advantage of what is available to you with God by laying aside all those empty and meaningless things that steal your soul and your relationship with Him all at the same time.

Bringing God's Kingdom to Bear: Jeremiah 26

Jeremiah 26

Jeremiah faced death. It wasn’t disease resulting from the Babylonian sieges, or threat to his life from the warfare that seemed to rage throughout his adult life; it was from the priests and false prophets of his day who took him to court in a capital case. In chapter 26, God has Jeremiah speak some pretty serious and devastating words over the Temple in Jerusalem:

Thus says the LORD: “If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you, and to listen to the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently, though you have not listened, then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.” (vs 4-6)

The allusion to Shiloh would have hit the priests right between the eyes. Shiloh was the first place the Arc of the Covenant was housed, and in a very real sense, the place where God was worshiped and where He dwelt. In standard fashion, however, the people rebelled against God, the Philistines attacked, Shiloh was destroyed, and the Arc was captured. (1 Samuel 1-4) The Temple was not safe because the Arc of the Covenant dwelt there.

The scene in chapter 26 turns into a courtroom drama. The priests and prophets bring a case of blasphemy against Jeremiah before the town judges. There are witnesses invoked and Jeremiah provides his own defense. His defense, by the way, is exactly the right one for this circumstance: “not guilty by reason of obedience.”

But most compelling to me is the precedent that is cited, and how it comes to the fore. The city officials recount the story of Micah the prophet and Hezekiah the king, and even quote Micah 3:12. In the story, God’s prophet speaks to Hezekiah what Jeremiah spoke to Jehoiakim. In Hezekiah’s case, he repents and God spares his people. The conclusion the officials draw is that the wise course of action would be to listen to Jeremiah and not put him to death.

I absolutely love what just happened. Jeremiah’s life was spared because the “people in the pews” knew their Scripture, were able to comprehend and apply it, and were even able to quote it. It wasn’t the priests or prophets who applied God’s word, it was the commoner, the individuals who were not professional theologians or spiritual leaders, but who had grown wise in their knowledge and application of Scripture who brought God’s kingdom to bear in a life-threatening situation.

In this context I think it is useful to ask a question. What do you need from God to know what He wants from you? Do you need a cloud-parting, thunder-clapping, audible voice 5 out of 7 days of the week? I know it would be nice, but it won’t happen.

The people we watch do God’s will in Jeremiah 26 knew God’s word, and thus, knew what God wanted them to do on that day. Rightly comprehending the Word of God is in a very real and deep sense rightly comprehending God’s will.

The Yoke of Christ: Jeremiah 27

Jeremiah 27

This chapter gives us another “illustrated prophecy” of Jeremiah’s to the rulers of his day. In this case, it involves not only the king of Judah, but the ambassadors of several small surrounding nations as well. And Jeremiah’s prop of choice this time is a piece of farm equipment-he enters the king’s chambers wearing a yoke meant for two large oxen. God never said being a prophet would be easy…or cool.

Jeremiah’s message is simple: surrender to the coming Babylonian army or suffer the consequences of a loosing battle. Notice that with this message, the illustration of the yoke is not one of impending doom and destruction-it is an invitation. The yoke is intended for two oxen, so there is one free opening in the yoke and Jeremiah invites the king and ambassadors to join him in willing submission to Nebuchadnezzar. In verse 8 he says:

But if any nation or kingdom will not serve this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, declares the LORD, until I have consumed it by his hand.

God has given the region to the Babylonians and there is nothing Zedekiah or the other nations can do to change that. They, however, feel differently. We know from the Babylonian’s own records that at this time they are facing battle on their eastern border, battle with the Syrian army, and an internal insurrection all at the same time. So it is not surprising that Zedekiah and the others feel confident of their chances to throw of the Babylonian yoke. Throw in the mixture the false prophets who are telling Zedekiah what he wants to hear, and he is sure there is a third way out of this situation.

But Jeremiah is persistent about his two options. Either Zedekiah goes with God and remains in his own land, or he takes his fate into his own hands and suffers the fortune of the looser in battle. (2 Kings 25 details Zedekiah’s rebellious choice and his fate worse than death.) Both choices are yokes, but one leads him to safety and the other to doom.

Paul has something similar to say about the choices before all of us in Romans 6:16-18.

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Like Zedekiah we want to be in charge of our own destinies, to be absolutely autonomous. But also like Zedekiah we have only two choices set before us. Either we enslave ourselves to our own shortcomings, passions and sins, or we willingly take on the yoke of Christ and open ourselves to abundance, grace, forgiveness, and life eternal. The autonomous choice is blindness and death; taking on the yoke of Christ is life more abundantly. Christ spoke to his disciples saying this,

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:29-30

Cup of Wrath Cup of Grace: Jeremiah 25

“Cup of Wrath, Cup of Grace”

Jeremiah 25:15-38

In this passage we observe a kind of parade of nations as God prophecies through Jeremiah the judgment that will come upon not only Judah, but on all the surrounding nations and finally Babylon itself.

Except for a couple of points of interest, this passage reads like a typical judgment chapter in the Old Testament prophets, so it is tempting to pass on its significance.  First of all, it goes to great lengths to describe not only God’s heavy judgment, but the depth of sin as well.  We learn, through the weight of the judgment how weighty sin is: the punishment fits the crime, so to speak.  It is a lesson throughout the book of Jeremiah that judgment is neither arbitrary nor pleasant for God.  It is always the just response to rebellion after God has pleaded with His people over and over to repent.

Secondly, Jeremiah uses the image of a cup of wrath.  A fairly common image for the Old Testament prophets, it is designed to give us an image of a goblet filled to the brim and overflowing with wine.  Jeremiah is vivid in his description of this cup.  He says:

16 They shall drink and stagger and be crazed because of the sword that I am sending among them.

and…

27 Drink, be drunk and vomit, fall and rise no more, because of the sword I am sending among you.

These are images, not of someone who has had “one too many,” but of something akin to alcohol poisoning.  The rebellious decisions made by these people have destroyed them.

This, however, is not all there is to be said about this cup or wrath.  Isaiah 51:17-23 also describes this time in history for Judah with the same image.  But near the end something drastic and unexpected is recorded.

22 Thus says you Lord, the Lord, your God who pleads the cause of his people: “Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering; the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more…”

How is it the cup is simply taken away from sinful and rebellious people?  The answer lies in a prayer spoken by Jesus moments before his trial and crucifixion.  In Matthew 26:39 He prays, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”  You see, Jesus saw this cup of wrath, being poured out on Him, and shook.  Pastor Philip G. Ryken says of this moment, “But were we to watch and pray, to kneel beside our Savior in the grass, to hear his cries of anguish, and to see the bloody sweat upon his brow, then we would see the fearfulness of God’s wrath.  And then we would know the sinfulness of our sin.”

Jesus has not only taken away this cup of wrath, He has provided a cup of a new relationship, the one provided by his blood shed on the cross.  This is a cup of forgiveness and grace, of relationship with the God of the universe Himself.  The English poet George Herbert saw this truth and wrote in his “The Agony”:

Love is that liquor sweet and most divine
Which my God feels as blood; but I, as wine.